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some depends on the state your in as there are different requirements for at it is up to each state to set the requirements,

but normally you will need to hire on to a company and get set up as an Apprentice (some locations there may or may not be licencing or registration as an apprentice, (will need to check the states requirements), and depending on the time worked (set by the state your working in) you will be able to test and move up to a journeyman licence you will work normally under what is called a master, or Contractor,

in most areas the work requirements is equivalent to 4 years (plus) and passing the required test, and in some instances there is schooling required, of so many Hrs,

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
attributed to Samuel Johnson
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PUBLIC NOTICE: Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil...plus the current state of the economy............the light at the end of the tunnel, has been turned off.

Comment

Ever thought about becoming a Navy seabee? We have electricions. Never go on a ship and work mostly w/ army, Marines and Special Forces(in support of). There's a program we have called MUSE. Can't remember what it stands for but you would run generators big enough to power a city. If your interested, let me know and I'll tell you more. DO NOT ASK A NAVY RECRUITER!!

Comment

Ever thought about becoming a Navy seabee? We have electricions. Never go on a ship and work mostly w/ army, Marines and Special Forces(in support of). There's a program we have called MUSE. Can't remember what it is but you would run generators big enough to power a city.

hehe, I can't join the military. I am deaf in one ear

Comment

One of my friends has only one arm and they're keeping him in. I know; you're young, want to party, smoke dope, I got it. I know because that was me when I was in school. I can relate. Come up with a better excuse.

Comment

getting into a program with a good employer (or possibly the union) with some schooling will make you a better electrician as you will know more why it is being done not jsut monkey see, monkey do,

As stated the military has good programs.
and I would bet you would have more responsibility quicker in the military than in civilian life,

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
attributed to Samuel Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLIC NOTICE: Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil...plus the current state of the economy............the light at the end of the tunnel, has been turned off.

Comment

Yes, hook up with a Union to start if possible. While I am not pro Union, for construction, you get the best training and highest pay to start.

A few things to keep in mind. When you do get on a job site do NOT:

Piss on any other trades. What I mean is, take care of theri work, don't cut studs that you can drill through. Don't drill through DUCTS! Do NOT put your tiny wire through the middle of the beys. Let me repat that; Do Not Put your Wires Through The Middle of THE BEYS! NOR the studs.

Floor covers over the ducts in the flooring are NOT GARBAGE CANS. Furnace boxes are NOT GARBAGE CANS NOR TOILETS!

If you have to poop and there is no potty on site, use an empty box, but please, please, please, through it out when you finish.

Always take a roll of TP to every job site. you never know when you will need it and in the winter, cutting one's clothes to use sucks...

Pay attention to how the other trades do their work. You can learn about every trade and become well rounded.

Oh, learn to read blue prints, study them. Sucks having to re-wire an entire house because you wried it backward... I laugh, because one electrician who made a habbit of doing everything I said above to my duct work, did just that...

Comment

One of my friends has only one arm and they're keeping him in. I know; you're young, want to party, smoke dope, I got it. I know because that was me when I was in school. I can relate. Come up with a better excuse.

Partying isn't really my thing. I actually went to MEPS and failed because of my ear.

Yes, hook up with a Union to start if possible. While I am not pro Union, for construction, you get the best training and highest pay to start.

A few things to keep in mind. When you do get on a job site do NOT:

Piss on any other trades. What I mean is, take care of theri work, don't cut studs that you can drill through. Don't drill through DUCTS! Do NOT put your tiny wire through the middle of the beys. Let me repat that; Do Not Put your Wires Through The Middle of THE BEYS! NOR the studs.

Floor covers over the ducts in the flooring are NOT GARBAGE CANS. Furnace boxes are NOT GARBAGE CANS NOR TOILETS!

If you have to poop and there is no potty on site, use an empty box, but please, please, please, through it out when you finish.

Always take a roll of TP to every job site. you never know when you will need it and in the winter, cutting one's clothes to use sucks...

Pay attention to how the other trades do their work. You can learn about every trade and become well rounded.

Oh, learn to read blue prints, study them. Sucks having to re-wire an entire house because you wried it backward... I laugh, because one electrician who made a habbit of doing everything I said above to my duct work, did just that...

For joining a union, would I find a company that is with the union and join from there or just join the union and then get a job?

Comment

Partying isn't really my thing. I actually went to MEPS and failed because of my ear.

For joining a union, would I find a company that is with the union and join from there or just join the union and then get a job?

That is one way, you can also go to one of the electrical schools the unions provide. What State do you live in? Doing a google search on your state's electrical unions will provide some, the yellow book is another resource.

Here in MD, the contractor's union has a school set up to teach most aspects of the trade, you get the tools, expereince (hands on) and a job when you get done.

Yes, very similar to these vocational schools, only run by a Union. Don't get bored, pulling wire, which is likely what you will start out doing, that and hanging boxes, (if you do new construction) is a bit boresome. Bet of luck to you, have fun, job sites can be more fun that a rocking bar.

Comment

i'm sure that the electrical trades are similar to the plumbing trades as far as the union and training goes.

getting started with a local shop that will eventually sponsor you and put you through school might not be the best way.

going to the local electrical union might be better, especially if they are taking in new hires, pre- apprentices.

the union is suppose to move you around every 6 months so you get exposed to different shops and different aspects of the trades. not just residential, or commercial. you need to get all aspects and hooking up with just 1 shop, might not give you the overall training/ exposure you need.

i would go to the local union hall and talk with them. see what they offer and take it from there.

remember that just starting out, you'll be the least expensive guy, doing the least important job. just prove yourself and you will be the one that last. you'll be 1/5 the cost of a journeyman, but will produce 75-125% of the journeyman. between on the job training and schooling, you'll have a life long career in 4-5 years.

if it doesn't work for the electrical side of the trades, try the plumbing side

Comment

i'm sure that the electrical trades are similar to the plumbing trades as far as the union and training goes.

getting started with a local shop that will eventually sponsor you and put you through school might not be the best way.

going to the local electrical union might be better, especially if they are taking in new hires, pre- apprentices.

the union is suppose to move you around every 6 months so you get exposed to different shops and different aspects of the trades. not just residential, or commercial. you need to get all aspects and hooking up with just 1 shop, might not give you the overall training/ exposure you need.

i would go to the local union hall and talk with them. see what they offer and take it from there.

remember that just starting out, you'll be the least expensive guy, doing the least important job. just prove yourself and you will be the one that last. you'll be 1/5 the cost of a journeyman, but will produce 75-125&#37; of the journeyman. between on the job training and schooling, you'll have a life long career in 4-5 years.

if it doesn't work for the electrical side of the trades, try the plumbing side

rick.

Well said Rick, but the kid might not want to wrestle turds all his life if wiring doesn't work out.

Sheet metal, now there is a craft. When you can make an swan from a flat piece of metal, now that is rewarding!

Seriously though, construction is a very gratifying career if you like to be outdoors, are self motivating and take pride in your work.

Comment

3rd year apprentice here in Canada and I am glad I became an electrician.

don't know if you said it but how is your feer of heights?

90&#37; of our work involves ladders most residential I do we can get off of a 5 or 8foot ladder but we have had to use a 20-40 foot one. had a house with 25-30 feet ceiling and 89 mini pots to fram out install poly pan then the fixture housing. not fun but I am now a master at installing these things.

If you damage another trades stuff like pipe or ducts tell your journeyman or the other trade. is is better to tell them early that when they find out at finish time. plus if you tell them and they forget, it's not like you didn't tell them.

and ALWAYS treat wire as live, you are dealing with dangerous stuff here. If it takes 5 more min to make sure you are safe do it. Friend of my cousins got killed early this year cause the breaker wasn't locked out and someone turned it back on, eather the 347volts killed him or the 40foot fall.

"When we build let us think we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work that our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone upon stone, that a time is to come when these stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, "See! This our fathers did for us."
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)